Film processing apparatus



July 19, 1966 3,261,278

FILM PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 9, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORJOHN L. JIRUSKA BY MW 9 fa/ve/l/ ATTORNEYS July 19, 1966 J. L. JIRUSKAFILM PROCESSING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 9, 1963 INVENTORJOHN L. JIRUSKA ATTORNEYS July 19, 1966 J. JtRusKA 3,261,278

FILM PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed D60. 9, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent 3,261,278 FILM PROCESSING APPARATUS John L.Jiruska, Annapolis, Md., assignor to Ram Engineering Corporation,Annapolis, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed Dec. 9, 1963, Ser. No.329,005 11 Claims. (Cl. 95-94) The present invention relates to filmprocessing apparatus particularly of the type which utilizes a pluralityof transportable racks for conducting a long length of film through thevarious baths used in developing film.

Film processing apparatus of the rack type is well known to the priorart. Heretofore, however, it had been the general belief and practice ofthe art to provide means for driving the lower spool shaft of each rack,as shown for example, in the patent to Good, No. 2,967,473, or where theupper shaft of the several racks have been positively driven it has beenthought necessary to advance the film by means of sprocket type spoolsfixed to the upper rack as shown, for example, in the patent toCapstalf, No. 1,664,735. In modern times, however, much film is notprovided with sprocket holes and this type of film has heretofore beenadvanced through rack type processing machines by frictional engagementwith spools carried on the positively driven lower shaft of the filmrack and the concept of frictionally advancing film in a multi-rackmachine through the medium of a positively driven upper shaft has simplynot been resorted to. Obviously the mechanism required to drive thelower shaft is expensive, cumbersome and subject to frequent break-downbecause of the complex shafting and gearing required to transmit thedriving power at the upper end of the developing tanks downwardlythrough the tanks to the lower shaft. Further with the lower shaft beingpositively driven, it will be apparent that the lower shaft cannot bevertically adjusted with respect to the upper shaft to control the timeof film treatment in the individual tanks.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved rackconstruction wherein the upper shaft carries friction type rollers andis positively driven from a central power source which serves to driveall of the corresponding upper shafts of the several racks which may beemployed in film processing apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simplified rackconstruction which permits the rapid removal of a rack in the event offilm breakage by a mere lifting action of the rack which eliminates theconnection or disconnection of the rack from the driving means except asafforded by the lifting action alone.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a rack of theforegoing nature which in addition affords means for adjusting the filmfootage capacity of the rack by raising or lowering the lower shaft withrespect to the upper shaft without in any way affecting the drive meansof the upper shaft while at the same time providing uniform yieldingtension on the film regardless of the adjusted position of the lowerrack.

Still another object of the invention is to provide improved means forstabilizing the lower shaft.

Yet another object is to provide an improved rack I construction whichaccomplishes all of the foregoing objects yet is strong and rigid whilebeing simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and their attendant advantages will become apparent as thefollowing detailed description is read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a rack incorporating the featuresof the invention;

CTl

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the rack of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, partly in elevation of theupper end of the rack of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a detailed view looking in the direction of the arrows 4-4 ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a detalied cross-sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG.3;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of a second embodiment of a rackincorporating features of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a detail of the secondembodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view takensubstantially on the line 99 of FIG. 6.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1 the rack 10 ofthe invention comprises a continuous rectangular frame having flangedside parts 12, 14 and upper and lower parts 16, 18. At the lower end ofthe rack is a shaft 20 having freely mounted thereon a plurality offriction type film spools 22 which are preferably separated from eachother by spacer members 24 which are pivoted at their upper ends to theshaft 20 as indicated in FIG. 2. The spacer members 24 are ofconventional construction and have downwardly extending legs 26 whichstraddle the outer edges of the lower part 28 of a shallow U-shapedbracket member 29 whose opposed ends 30 are pivoted to the shaft 20outwardly of the outermost spools as clearly shown in FIG. 1. The endsof the shaft 20 are slideably received in vertical guidechannels 32fixed to the inner surface of the frame side parts 12, 14 and the shaft20 is supported in its position of use by a pair of opposed rings 34 tothe exterior surfaces of which are threadedly connected the lower endsof rods 36, 38 whose upper ends extend upwardly through suitableapertures in the upper frame part 16 and have afiixed thereto suitableknobs 40. Carried on the shafts 36, 38 between the knobs 40 andthe uppersurface of the frame part 16 are collars 42 which are releaseably fixedto the rods by set screws 44. Also fixed to the rods 36, 38 below theupper frame 16 is a second set of collars 46 which are likewisereleaseably fixed to the rods by means of set screws 48 are interposedbetween the upper surface of the lower collars 46 and the lower surfaceof the upper frame part are compression springs 50 which yieldinglyresist tendency of the lower shaft to move upwardly with respect to theframe as may occur when film tension increases. It will be apparent thatthe lower shaft may be vertically adjusted to any desired operativeposition by merely backing off the set screws 44, 48 of the respectivecollars 42, 46 so that the rods 36, 38, may be pulled upwardly to thedesired position whereupon the set screws 44 of the upper collars 42 aretightened to retain the rods in their adjusted position. Thereafter theset screws 48 of the lower collars 46 are tightened with the upper endsof the spring 50 barely engaging the lower surface of the frame part 16so that the lower shaft in an adjusted position has the same degree ofmove ment upwardly due to film tension against the spring force as itdoes in the initial position of FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIG. 3 the rack of the invention is provided with anupper spool shaft 50 carrying thereon a plurality of friction typespools 52 of which one or more (three being shown) are positively fixedto the shaft by means of set screws 54, the remaining spools beingfreely mounted on the shaft. The shaft 50 is rotatably supported at oneend in a suitable bearing 56 which may comprise a headed, partly boredcylindrical member of plastic such as high density polyethylene which isinserted through a suitable opening in the side part 12 of the frame andretained in place by a conventional spring clip 58. The opposite end ofthe shaft is supported in a bearing member 60, also of plastic, having areduced diameter inner end 62 which is inserted through an opening inthe side frame member 14 and retained in place by a spring clip 64. Theenlarged outer end 66 of the bearing member is provided with an annulargroove 68 which is cradled in a U-shaped slot '70 formed in the upperend of a bearing support member 72 which is afiixed by bolts 71 to theinner upper edge of the side wall 74 of a developing tank generallyindicated in FIG. 3 by the numeral 76. As illustrated in FIG. 5 thebearing support member may be adjusted slightly in the verticaldirection, for purposes that will become apparent, by providing slots 78for receiving the fastening bolts 71.

The right hand end of the shaft 50 extends outwardly beyond the bearingmember 66 and carries adjacent its outer end a sprocket wheel 30 whichis operatively connected to the shaft through a clutch arrangementcomprising an end disc 82 rigidly fixed to the shaft and a frictionmember 84 sandwiched between the sprocket wheel 89 and the disc. Thesprocket Wheel is provided with a central, flanged bearing member 81 ofplastic which is free to rotate with respect to the shaft 50. Thesprocket 80 is urged against the friction member 84 by a compressionspring 86 whose outer end bears against the flange of the bearing member81 and whose inner end bears against one side of a disc 88 which is freeto rotate on the shaft and whose opposite side engages the confrontingface of the bearing 66.

In accordance with the invention the teeth of the sprocket wheel $0 areengaged with an endless sprocket chain 90 whose lower run is slideablysupported in a channel shaped member 92, which may also comprisepolyethylene plastic, fixed to the upper surface of the inwardlyextending flange 94 of a frame member 96 supported outwardly of thedeveloping tanks 76 on a suitable welded framework composed preferablyof channel members and generally indicated by the numeral 98. The upperflange 1% of the frame member 96 supports a second channel 162 whichserves to slideably support the upper run of the endless sprocket chain90 and desirably the upper channel is enclosed in a suitable housing104. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the frame member 96and the elements supported thereby run the entire length of thedeveloping machine and adjacent one end of the machine suitable powermeans such as an electric motor (not shown) is provided to drive thesprocket chain.

Referring now to the left hand side of FIG. 3, the frame of theinvention is supported in its position of use on that side by theprovision of an outwardly extending rod 1% integral with a bracketmember 108 fixed by bolt means 110 to the side part 12 of the frame. Ifdesired the bolt may extend through a slot 112 in the bracket so as topermit a limited degree of vertical adjustment of the rod 106. The outerend of the rod rests in a groove 114 formed in a continuous strip 116preferably of plastic and supported on the horizontal flange 113 of acontinuous channel member which is fixed to the outer surface of theleft hand wall 120 of the several developing tanks used in theapparatus.

In use, blank leader strip is threaded around the spools of the severalracks, as is conventional and the racks are installed in their positionof use in the tanks merely by being lowered until the rod 106 on theleft hand side of the frame is engaged in its groove 114 and the annulargroove 68 of the bearing member 60 on the right hand side of the frameis received in the notch '76 of the bearing support 72. Initially, itmay be necessary to adjust the bearing support slightly vertically byreleasing the bolts 71 until the teeth of the sprocket wheel areproperly received in the sprocket chain; that is to say, the teethshould engage the chain but should be just clear of the upper surface ofthe chain support. In actual practice, it has been found that there isno difficulty in maintaining reasonable production line tolerances sothat only a very slight adjustment of the bearing support 72 is everrequired with this adjustment being of such small degree that whateverslight cocking of the rack may result is almost imperceptible and isnever sufficient in any way to interfere with the eificiency of theapparatus.

After the apparatus has been operated and should the exposed film bebroken, as quite often occurs, the entire frame nearest the break ismerely lifted free of the tanks in one quick lifting action and a secondframe already pre-threaded with lead film is immediately lowered intoposition and the two ends of the broken, exposed film are stapled to theends of the pre-threaded lead film and developing operation proceed.With applicants improved frame, the time required to replace a frame andrecommence developing operations following a film break has neverexceeded twenty seconds.

.As has been previously described, if the particular type of filmrequires a less period of time in a particular developing solution, thelower spool shaft 20 is merely adjusted vertically upwardly with respectto the upper spool shaft 50 and is retained in the raised position bysuitable manipulation of the collars 42, 46 carried on the rods 36, 38.It will be apparent that where the lower shaft is positively driven asis customary in the prior art such vertical adjustment is not possible.

The embodiment of the invention disclosed in FIGS. 6 through 9 isfunctionally substantially identical to the described first embodiment.The second embodiment, however, instead of being composed of a frame offlanged sheet material is constructed of welded rod material, preferablystainless steel, to form a strong, integrated structure which isinexpensive to manufacture and is particularly, though not exclusivesuited for use in developing apparatus of limited size and capability,such as for the quick development of black and white film for use inlocal television studios.

The rack illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 is generally indicated by thenumeral 134i and comprises a pair of vertical side rods or bars 132, 13which are preferably circular in cross section and are joined togetherat their lower ends by a horizontal cross bar 136 whose ends arepreferably welded to the lower ends of the side bars 132, 134. Welded tothe upper ends of the respective side bars are bearing supports 138which are preferably circular in cross section and have integrallyconnected to their upper side, as by welding, the ends of an inverted'U-shaped rod 140 which serves to rigidify the rack and also functionsas a handle.

As illustrated in FIG. 8 each bearing support 138 is a short, hollowtube which is adapted to receive with a substantially force fit thecylindrical part 142 of a bearing member 144 composed of a plasticmaterial which is preferably high density polyethylene. The outer end ofeach bearing memebr 144 is provided with a flange part 145 which has anannular groove 148 thereon adapted to nest in a U-shaped notch ofrespective support members 150 which are fixed to the upper inner edgesof opposite tank side walls 152.

The bearing members 144 rotatably receive the upper spool shaft 153which extends outwardly beyond the bearing members on both sides toreceive spring clips 154. On the right hand side, the spool shaft 152extends substantially beyond the bearing support and carries thereon afreely mounted sprocket 156 which is urged by a spring 158 against afriction pad 160 whose inner face bears against a clutch plate 162 fixedto the shaft 152. The outer right hand end of the shaft 152 may besuitably threaded to receive a nut 164 which serves as a backup for theclutch spring 158.

The shaft 153 carries friction type rollers or spools 165 one or more ofwhich is fixed to the shaft by means of set screws 166. When the rack ofFIGS. 7 and 8 is in its position of use the sprocket wheel 156 engages asprocket chain (not shown) which may be arranged substantially as shownin FIG. 3.

The lower spool shaft 167 carrying freely rotatable spools 168 issupported at its opposite ends in aligned openings 170 throughupstanding end flanges 172 of a U- shaped bracket member 174. Fixed tothe outer sides of the flanges 172 by screws 176 are combined guide andsupport members 178 which are provided at their outer ends with arcuateslots 180 adapted to straddle the side members 132, 134 of the rack asillustrated in FIG. 9. The rollers 168 are separated from each other byspacer members 182 which are identical in function to the spacer members24 shown in conjunction with FIGS. 1 and 2.

It wil be apparent in FIG 6. that the lower roller assembly may bereadily removed from the rack by raising one end thereof until thegroove 180 is free of its side rod whereupon the entire assembly may bemoved clear of the rack. Thereafter the lower shaft may be disconnectedfrom the bracket 174 merely by forcing the flanges 172 away from eachother until the openings 170 are clear of the ends of the shaft 167.When the assembly is to be replaced in its position of use the reverseprocedure is followed and as the assembly is moved to its normalhorizontal position of FIG. 6 the guide members 178 react against theside rods 132, 134 to urge the flanges 172 slightly towards each otherwhereupon the lower shaft is effectively locked in place.

The lower shaft assembly may be adjusted vertically with respect to theupper shaft through the use of lower collars 184 which are secured byset screws 186 to the side rods 132, 134. The lower surfaces of theguide members 178 engage the upper surfaces of the collars 184 andacting downwardly on the upper surfaces of the guide members 178 aresprings 188 whose upper ends engage collars 190 which are fixed to theside rods by means of set screws 192. It will be apparent in FIG. 6 thatwhen the lower shaft assembly is to be raised, it is only necessary toloosen all of the set screws of the collars 184, 190' and then pushupwardly on the lower collars until the entire assembly is in theselected raised position whereupon all of the set screws are tightened.It will be obvious that with this arrangement regardless of the selectedposition, the lower shaft assembly will always have limited freedom ofmovement in an upward direction against the springs 188 so as tocompensate for film tension increase.

From the foregoing description it should be apparent that the presentinvention has provided a film rack and drive means of extreme simplicityand reliability which incorporates the necessary elements required bysound film developing practices and achieves this through frictionaladvance of the film by means of positive drive of the upper spool shaftfrom a power source common to each rack with the rack being readilyremovable from its position of use without requiring any externalconnections between the rack, the drive or the rack support. It will, ofcourse, be quite apparent to those skilled in the art that the inventionis susceptible of a variety of changes and modifications without howeverdeparting from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable film rack for film processing apparatus comprising aclosed rigid frame having side parts and upper and lower end parts, anupper spool shaft rotatably fixed in the frame between the side partsthereof, a lower spool shaft, guide means fixed in said frame andcooperating with said lower spool shaft to permit vertical movementthereof with respect to said upper spool shaft, a support for said lowershaft, vertically movable rod means connected to said support andslidably extending through the upper end part of said frame, releasablelocking means cooperating with said rod means and with said frame forretaining said lower shaft in a selected vertical position with respectto the upper shaft, said upper spool shaft extending outwardly at oneend beyond its adjacent side part a sprocket wheel carried by saidextending end part, and clutch means operatively connecting saidsprocket wheel and said shaft.

2. The rack of claim 1 wherein said releasable locking means comprises areleasable collar on said rod above said upper end part and adapted toengage the upper end part to positively limit the downward movement ofsaid rod means and said lower shaft with respect to said upper shaft andincluding a second releasable collar carried by said rod means belowsaid upper end part of said frame and spring means interposed betweensaid second collar and said upper end part yieldingly opposing upwardvertical movement of said lower shaft with respect to said upper shaft.

3. In combination with film processing apparatus including tank means, acontinuously driven endless sprocket chain and an upwardly open,supporting and guiding means adjacent the upper end of said tank meansfor at least one of the runs of said sprocket chain, a portable filmrack comprising a closed rigid frame having side parts and upper andlower parts, an upper spool shaft rotatably fixed in said side parts andhaving a projecting end part extending beyond the adjacent side part, alower spool shaft in said frame, a sprocket wheel carried by theprojecting end part of said upper spool shaft, clutch means operativelyconnecting said sprocket wheel to said shaft, and support meanscooperating with said tank means and said frame for supporting thelatter in said tank with said sprocket wheel operatively engaged withthe sup ported and guided'run of said sprocket chain.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said support means comprisesoutwardly extending projection fixed to the side parts of said frame andincluding fixed projection receiving parts adjacent the upper ends ofsaid tank for supporting said projections solely under the influence ofgravity.

5. A portable film rack for film processing apparatus comprising aclosed rigid frame having side parts and upper and lower end parts, anupper spool shaft rotatably fixed in the frame between the side parts, alower spool shaft, a plurality of spools carried by said shafts, each ofsaid spools being of the friction variety, at least one of said spoolsbeing fixed to said upper spool shaft for rotation therewith, guidemeans carried by said frame and cooperating with said lower spool shaftto permit vertical movement thereof with respect to said upper shaft,resilient means cooperating with said frame and said lower spool shaftfor yieldingly opposing movement thereof towards said upper spool shaft,and driven means including a clutch carried by said upper spool shaftfor connecting said shaft to a source of power external to said rack.

6. A portable film rack for film processing apparatus comprising aclosed frame having laterally spaced vertical side parts and verticallyspaced upper and lower horizontal end parts, a rotatable upper spoolshaft extending between said side parts adjacent the upper end of saidframe, friction type film spools carried by said upper spool shaft, atleast one ofsaid spools being fixed to said shaft for rotationtherewith, driving means carried by said upper spool shaft foroperatively connecting said shaft to a source of power, a lower spoolshaft carried by said frame, a plurality of friction type spools freelycarried by said lower spool shaft, means for adjusting the verticalposition of said lower spool shaft with respect to said upper shaft,said means comprising a pair of guide means, each adjacent the opposedends of said lower spool shaft, a pair of laterally spaced, releasableabutment means engaging said frame and said guide means for positivelypreventing downwardmovemen-t of said lower spool shaft from a selectedraised position while permitting upward movement thereof, and adjustablespring means acting on said lower spool shaft and yieldingly opposingupward movement of said lower shaft from its selected raised positionwith respect to the upper shaft.

7. A portable film rack for film processing apparatus comprising aclosed metallic frame having side parts and upper and lower end parts,an upper spool shaft rotatably fixed to said frame adjacent the upperend thereof, friction type film spools carried by said upper spoolshaft, at least one of said spools being fixed to said shaft forrotation therewith, means for operatively connecting said upper spoolshaft to a source of power to rotate the same, a lower spool shaftassembly comprising a shallow U-shaped bracket member having opposedupstanding side parts adjacent the side parts of said frame andcontaining aligned openings, a lower spool shaft having opposed endsreceived in said openings, a plurality of friction type spools freelycarried on said lower spool shaft, guiding means connected to said lowerspool shaft assembly and extending in opposite directions away from theside parts of said bracket member and into sliding engagement with theside parts of said frame whereby said lower assembly may be movedvertically with respect to said upper said spool shaft and inparallelism with the latter, adjustable, releasable abutment meanscooperating with said lower assembly and with said frame for preventingmovement of said assembly downwardly from a selected raised positionwhile permitting upward movement of said assembly, and resilient meansacting at all times on said assembly when in a selected position toyieldingly oppose upward movement of said assembly from said selectedposition.

8. The rack of claim 7 wherein said side parts of said frame comprisesrod-like members and wherein said guide means comprise laterallyextending parts fixed to the end parts of said U-shaped bracket andhaving at their outer ends notches complementary in shape to thecross-section of said rod-like members, said notches slidably receivingsaid rod-like members.

9. The rack of claim 8 including bearing means for supporting said upperspool shaft, said means comprising aligned tubular parts fixed adjacentthe upper ends of said rod-like members, flanged cylindrical sleeve-typebearings received in said tubular members and rotatably supporting saidupper spool shaft adjacent the ends thereof, said upper member of saidframe comprising an inverted, U-shaped rod-like member having ends fixedto the upper sides of said tubular members.

10. The rack of claim 8 wherein said abutment means comprises releasablecollars carried by said side members and engaging the lower sides ofsaid laterally extending parts and wherein said resilient means comprisesprings slidably received on said side members and having lower endsengaging the upper side of said laterally extending parts, and secondreleasable collars carried on said side parts and engaging the upperends of said springs.

11. A portable film rack for film processing apparatus comprising aclosing frame having laterally spaced side parts and upper and lower endparts, an upper spool shaft rotatably fixed in said frame adjacent theupper ends thereof, a plurality of friction type spools carried on saidupper spool shaft, at least one of said spools being fixed to said shaftand adapted to frictionally advance film trained thereover, one end ofsaid upper spool shaft extending laterally beyond a side part of saidrack, a sprocket wheel freely carried on said projecting end, clutchmeans operatively connecting said sprocket wheel to said shaft, a lowerspool shaft carried in said frame, means cooperating with said frame andsaid lower spool shaft for enabling said shaft to be guided in saidframe towards and away from said upper spool shaft, adjustable meanscooperating with said lower spool shaft and said frame for positivelylimiting the downward movement of said lower spool shaft from a selectedposition with respect to said upper spool shaft, adjustable spring meansacting on said lower spool shaft to yieldingly oppose movement of saidlower spool shaft from its selected position with respect to said upperspool shaft and a plurality of film spools freely carried on said lowerspool shaft.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,664,735 4/1928Capstaff -94 1,854,931 4/1932 Gollomb 95-100 2,123,445 7/1938 Van Leuven9594 2,146,170 2/1939 Brenbarger et al. 9594 2,162,016 6/1939 Howell 9594 2,169,758 8/1939 Capstaif 9594 2,579,287 12/1951 Albert 95-1002,967,473 1/1961 Sood 95-94 NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

3. IN COMBINATION WITH FILM PROCESSING APPARATUS INCLUDING TANK MEANS, ACONTINUOUSLY DRIVEN ENDLESS SPROCKET CHAIN AND AN UPWARDLY OPEN,SUPPORTING AND GUIDING MEANS ADJACENT THE UPPER END OF SAID SPROCKETCHAIN, A PORTABLE LEAST ONE OF THE RUNS OF SAID SPROCKET CHAIN, APORTABLE FILM RACK COMPRISING A CLOSED RIGID FRAME HAVING SIDE PARTS ANDUPPER AND LOWER PARTS, AN UPPER SPOOL SHAFT ROTATABLY FIXED IN SAID SIDEPARTS AND HAVING A PROJECTING END PART EXTENDING BEYOND THE ADJACENTSIDE PART, A LOWER SPOOL SHAFT IN SAID FRAME, A SPROCKET WHEEL CARRIEDBY THE PROJECTING END PART OF SAID UPPER SPOOL SHAFT, CLUTCH MEANSOPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID SPROCKET WHEEL TO SAID SHAFT, AND SUPPORTINGMEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID TANK MEANS AND SAID FRAME FOR SUPPORTING THELATTER IN SAID TANK WITH SAID SPROCKET WHEEL OPERATIVELY ENGAGED WITHTHE SUPPORTED AND GUIDED RUN OF SAID SPROCKET CHAIN.